BIGGER THAN SPORTS
Baseball America|October 2020
Players taking a stand is part of baseball’s history
KYLE GLASER
BIGGER THAN SPORTS

On Aug. 26, as a protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, the Brewers, Mariners and Dodgers chose not to play.

The move came three days after police in Kenosha, Wis., shot Blake, a Black man, seven times in the back after responding to a 911 call. It was the latest in a string of disturbing incidents involving police and Black Americans, following the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville earlier this year.

The NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks were the first professional team to act when they refused to take the court for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic, and baseball followed within hours.

The Brewers, Mariners and Dodgers were the first to sit out. The following day, Aug. 27, seven more games were postponed after players on one or both teams protested by not playing. Another was postponed for the same reason the following day. In all, 11 games featuring 21 teams were postponed.

“There’s a lot going on in the world,” Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts said. “Change needs to be made. I have to use my platform to get the ball rolling.”

The reaction of many was that players should “stick to sports” and stay out of broader social issues. But such statements ignore the fact that player activism has been a part of baseball since its earliest years. While baseball is frequently characterized as a conservative sport—often accurately—players speaking out and taking action goes back more than 125 years.

Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av Baseball America.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av Baseball America.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BASEBALL AMERICASe alt
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Baseball America

Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.

Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.

time-read
2 mins  |
August/September 2024
ROAD BLOCK?
Baseball America

ROAD BLOCK?

Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha

time-read
4 mins  |
August/September 2024
ROYALS REVIVAL
Baseball America

ROYALS REVIVAL

A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound

time-read
6 mins  |
August/September 2024
SUMMER STANDOUTS
Baseball America

SUMMER STANDOUTS

The top prospects in summer college leagues are poised to impact the 2025 draft

time-read
7 mins  |
August/September 2024
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Baseball America

FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10

Last year’s Florida Complex League prospect crop has been beset by lengthy injuries to many of its top players, including Yankees pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange, Mets infielder Marco Vargas and Red Sox catcher Johanfran Garcia.

time-read
6 mins  |
August/September 2024
IN WITH THE NEW
Baseball America

IN WITH THE NEW

The 2024 draft is in the books. The trade deadline is history.

time-read
3 mins  |
August/September 2024
WALCOTT BLASTS OFF
Baseball America

WALCOTT BLASTS OFF

It took some time for Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott to find his footing at High-A Hickory.

time-read
2 mins  |
August/September 2024
A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS
Baseball America

A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS

Four key takeaways from the 2024 draft

time-read
4 mins  |
August/September 2024
K.C.MASTERPIECE
Baseball America

K.C.MASTERPIECE

Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. wins games for the Royals with his bat, glove, speed and baseball IQ. He might be the most tooled-up player in the game.

time-read
7 mins  |
August/September 2024
HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
Baseball America

HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS

When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.

time-read
2 mins  |
May 2024